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jrfoxx · August 20, 2008, 03:11 PM

my oldest gun was made in 1884, and I shoot it all the time. I only own one gun I dont shoot (due to the fact I suspect it may be unsafe), and only own it becasue it was handed down thorugh the family. I would not personally pay for a gun that I cant fire for some reason.

As far as how to tell what is or isnt safe, headspace gauges, inspecting for any deep pitting, cracks, poor lockup of cylinders on revolvers, things that are generally "loose" or "sloppy", etc are easy indicators they may be unsafe.Also lots of info on just about ANY gun on how to, and what, to do safety checks on.

The best way, however, is if there is ANY doubt, no matter how small,to have it checked by a good gunsmith who is familiar with that gun. Inspections are pretty cheap, and definitely way cheaper than a destroyed gun, eye damage, missing fingers, etc.

Also, the C&R/milsurp "community" is MASSIVE, and there are tons of books, and an endless supply of forums, webpages, etc dedicated to it all, and info on what to check, look for, stay away from, etc is pretty readily available.

August 20, 2008, 03:11 PM	#2
jrfoxx Senior Member Join Date: August 20, 2004 Location: Evanston,WY Posts: 898	my oldest gun was made in 1884, and I shoot it all the time. I only own one gun I dont shoot (due to the fact I suspect it may be unsafe), and only own it becasue it was handed down thorugh the family. I would not personally pay for a gun that I cant fire for some reason. As far as how to tell what is or isnt safe, headspace gauges, inspecting for any deep pitting, cracks, poor lockup of cylinders on revolvers, things that are generally "loose" or "sloppy", etc are easy indicators they may be unsafe.Also lots of info on just about ANY gun on how to, and what, to do safety checks on. The best way, however, is if there is ANY doubt, no matter how small,to have it checked by a good gunsmith who is familiar with that gun. Inspections are pretty cheap, and definitely way cheaper than a destroyed gun, eye damage, missing fingers, etc. Also, the C&R/milsurp "community" is MASSIVE, and there are tons of books, and an endless supply of forums, webpages, etc dedicated to it all, and info on what to check, look for, stay away from, etc is pretty readily available. __________________ Q: How can I reduce the amount of mail I receive from the NRA? A: Simply email us at [email protected] or dial 800-NRA-3888 and request to be placed on the "Do Not Promote" list.